D.J. Smith deserving of OHL coach-of-the-year award

Oshawa Generals bench boss nominated for Matt Leyden Trophy

Oshawa This Week

It’s hard to envision anyone other than D.J. Smith walking off with the Matt Leyden Trophy when the award is announced later this month.

Nominated for the Ontario Hockey League’s top coaching award for the second time in as many years, Smith has done such a top-notch job for the Oshawa Generals, it’s also hard to imagine him being around here much longer.

He’s clearly on the fast-track to bigger and better things.

Thought to be a team that would be battling simply to make the playoffs this season, the Generals somehow managed to dominate the east and win their first division or conference title since Eric Lindros was leading the way in 1991.

Team success is what matters most and what Smith has clearly focused on, but it’s come about by the vastly improved play of each member of the team. One need look no further than the final NHL Central Scouting list that came out earlier this week for proof.

Michael Dal Colle, not surprisingly, topped the group of Generals at fifth among North American skaters, but four others found their way onto the list -- unimaginable at the start of the season.

Hunter Smith made the longest leap, coming off a season that saw him pick up one measly assist in 30 games. A Windsor native like his coach and namesake, although not related, Smith came into his six-foot-six, 210-pound frame, put up 16 goals and 40 points and has jumped all the way to 39th on the scouting list, up from 140th at the mid-term and off the radar in the pre-season.

Josh Sterk, Stephen Desrocher, Jacob Busch and goalie Ken Appleby have also moved up or onto the lists, but the player development sure didn’t stop there. It would be easier to name those who haven’t improved significantly under Smith’s guidance: nope, can’t think of a single one here.

The success is not due to Smith alone, of course, as he’s surrounded by a great staff of Roger Hunt, Paul McFarland and Zac Bierk.